Advice & inspiration for trail & ultra running

Eat like a pro runner

What are the best things to eat before, during and after a trail race or ultra? And what’s the weirdest food you can get at an aid station?

Last month I was at the Pikes Peak Marathon in Colorado interviewing some of the world’s best mountain athletes about their race nutrition strategies, including race winner Dakota Jones, Skyrunning champion Emelie Forsberg and coaches Max King and Sage Canaday.

Also in this film, find out which food Emelie really didn’t like, plus, I meet two regular American racers who blew my mind with their food choices. I still don’t really know if they’re joking or not, so if you do, let me know in the YouTube comments below the film.

Subscribe if you haven’t already so you don’t miss out on my next film,I’m going to be LIVE at the Ring of Steall Skyrace this Saturday 15th of September, it’s the 5th in the Golden Trails Series before the grand finale.

So I’ll be chatting to the world’s best mountain runners like Kilian Jornet and Marc Lauenstein, Ruth Croft, Laura Orgue and Holly Page.

Awesome Salomon clobber I was wearing:

It’s thanks to Salomon that I could travel to Pikes Peak Marathon and stay there for the whole weekend, so I’d like to tell you about the kit they gave me to wear for it. I like promoting Salomon gear because I genuinely love a lot of their products and have always found them to be high-quality and well-designed. Although you can’t see me running in these items in the film above, here’s a photo of me at the summit, and click here for our Pikes Peak recce film where I tested it out good and proper on a nice 13 mile descent from the top of the mountain on the famous Barr Trail.

Thanks to Sergio from Trail Running Spain for this great photo on the summit of Pikes Peak

If you decide to buy any of the gear I’m wearing or reviewing, then please click on my affiliate links below. This means I get a small percentage of the sale at no cost to you (and for Amazon it’s anything you buy, not just the item I directed you to) – so THANK YOU if you do this 🙂

Salomon Adv Skin 12 set running pack XS (really good, will do a full review in due course but very comfy and would recommend apart from…I’ll let you know in my packs film coming soon, keep watching!)
In the UK https://amzn.to/2BYhwkD
In the USA https://amzn.to/2BZYhXH

Salomon Speedcross 4 (I love the 10mm drop of this shoe but the toe box is a little narrow for my wide feet, I have to go up one size, and they rub at the arch after 1hr/6miles. I K-taped my arches for the 13mile Pikes Peak recce film…then back in the UK I discovered my new double layer 1000 Mile Socks eliminate the chafing! Whoooop! Very happy now! See how double layer socks work here https://youtu.be/3-tRl-YFH2o)
In the UK https://amzn.to/2MYkfih
In the USA https://amzn.to/2wphzjU

Salomon XA Visor (the fit felt more stiff compared to my beloved Hoka pink visor with its elastic headstrap, but it stayed on my head admirably even on the windy summit and I soon got used to the change. As usual I had to have it on the tightest setting in the wind, I wish people would make visors and caps for smaller-headed people like my good self. Do you have small head problems too? Hit me up in the comments on YouTube!)
In the UK https://amzn.to/2POjI0N
In the USA https://amzn.to/2C1IRSS

Salomon Agile Tank (also really like this simple, light, quick-drying vest, quite out there PINK, poss clashes with my hair what do you think? I’m wearing it in the intro to the film above)
In the UK https://amzn.to/2BYiQUD
In the USA https://amzn.to/2wpiL6S

Salomon Trail Runner SS Tee (very nice light tee, dries super quick, I washed it in the hotel room while on the Pikes Peak trip, but slightly constrictive around the shoulder area with less stretchy material than the tees I normally wear, you get used to it though)
In the UK https://amzn.to/2C1sw0r
In the USA https://amzn.to/2PR1knV

Salomon Elevate FZ Mid Surf the Web (the purpley bluey full zip jumper with good, deep, zipped side pockets, flipping LOVELY to wear. Not windproof. Snuggly warm mid-layer.)
In the UK https://amzn.to/2Pg8Qb0
In the USA https://amzn.to/2PlJjxf

Salomon Elevate 2 in 1 Short (I didn’t actually wear these as the size M are too small for my ample thighs these days, size 10-12 UK jeans etc, and I can’t wear non-cycling shorts anyway as my thighs chafe together at the top in all shorts of this design. But if you have slim legs & a thigh gap then go for these as they have awesome patterns and look great!)
In the UK https://amzn.to/2C1C0c6
In the USA https://amzn.to/2wp2IX4

Sherpa Sapna Printed Legging (I flippin LOVE the pattern of these but not sure they really do me any favours in my massive top-of-thigh department, but what the hell who cares, they’re for a good cause, check out Sherpa their company is awesome – sustainable, eco, ethical working)
In the UK https://amzn.to/2wz9YP9
In the USA (sorry not available there but here are some eco-friendly leggings with cool prints!) https://amzn.to/2LGX0V8

Top of the Barr Trail, the runners turn around just short of this sign on the Pike Peak Marathon

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Published by Wild Ginger Films

Claire Maxted, co-founder and former editor of Trail Running magazine shares off-road advice and inspiration gleaned from 12 years in the outdoor publishing industry.
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